The Battle Creek City Commission intended to pass an ordinance to introduce a medical marijuana zoning ordinance but instead postponed that introduction at the Dec. 19 meeting.(Photo: Natasha Blakely/Battle Creek Enquirer)

Battle Creek City Commission put off a decision on a zoning ordinance for medical marijuana facilities in Battle Creek.

The commission seemed set to vote in favor of the ordinance Tuesday night, but Commissioner Sherry Sofia introduced a motion to postpone that introduction until it can be “considered in conjunction with a licensing ordinance but no later than Feb. 6.”

City Attorney Jill Steele added that City Planner Eric Feldt discovered that the draft of the ordinance was not in compliance with Michigan’s public health code.

Vice Mayor Dave Walters was swayed at the argument that the commission needed more time.

“I was on the commission when we did this before, and I want to apologize because we didn’t do this right before,” Walters said, addressing members of the public in attendance. “Let’s do it the right way the first time.”

Battle Creek resident Brandon Warner, who was at the meeting, said, “It seems there’s too many hoops to jump through for people who want to invest in the city. My grandmother uses medical marijuana for chronic pain, and it’s hard for her to get her medicine, and if she could get it local, it would be easier on her and on our family.”

“They’re not treating this as medicine, they’re treating this as recreation,” said Charles Dupree, owner of Great Lakes Grow Store in Battle Creek, after the meeting.

“We have people in this community who are investors, not just financially, but the well-being of this community, the people, their best interests in mind, so I think possibly (the commission) didn’t do their due diligence to talk to people with an interest.”

Contact Natasha Blakely at (269) 223-0114 or nblakely@battlecreekenquirer.com. Follow her on Twitter at @blakelynat.